The Aurora area contingent for this season’s Class 5A boys swimming state meet will be smaller, but potentially mightier, than last year.
A combined total of 46 individual swimmers and divers (12 fewer than last season) and 14 relay teams (identical to 2024) from five area programs — Cherokee Trail, Grandview, Overland, Regis Jesuit and Smoky Hill — earned their way to the May 8-9 meet at the Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center.
Once there, the local group could pack a punch.
Regis Jesuit looks to reclaim the championship throne it had for two straight season before rival Cherry Creek rolled to last season’s title — as it outdistanced coach Nick Frasersmith’s Raiders by more than 100 points — and will do so with a contingent that is smaller than last season.
The Raiders had 21 state qualifiers a year ago and take 16 into this season’s meet, which again will include no divers, something the Bruins have as an advantage. Cherry Creek’s Luke Ogren is the prohibitive favorite to win a third straight state championship in the 1-meter competition, which would spot the Bruins a good lead going into the swim finals.
According to the psyche sheets released by the Colorado High School Activities Association May 5, Regis Jesuit has strong bookend relays that could be key. The Raiders have posted the second-fastest time in the field in the meet-opening 200 yard medley relay, while they own the top time in the closing 400 freestyle relay.
In between, Regis Jesuit could grab significant points, especially from a talented group of young swimmers headed by freshmen Trevyn Krauss and Spencer Greene. Krauss is seeded third in the 500 yard freestyle and fourth in the 200 freestyle, while Greene checks in fourth in the 100 yard butterfly as well as 15th in a tightly-packed 50 freestyle.
Sophomores Greyson Connett and Nathaniel Spencer also could contribute significantly.
Among the veterans for Regis Jesuit, seniors Reid Magner, Hugh Boris and Nolan Kohl have a state track record and all would make at least one championship final if they swim up to their seeds.
The next largest state contingent comes from Grandview, which will have 11 swimmers in the water along with sophomore Hunter Bull (the Centennial League runner-up) in diving.
Among the contingent for coach Dan Berve’s Wolves is senior Oliver Schimberg, already the program’s lone multiple-time state champion who is going for a third straight 5A crown in the 100 yard backstroke.
Schimberg tuned up for his latest title defense with a monster performance at the Centennial “A” League meet in which he dropped a time of 48.68 seconds that leads the state and set the records for the league meet and for the pool at Cherry Creek. The University of Minnesota recruit is also the No. 2 seed in the 100 butterfly and is a key contributor on relays, in which Grandview is seeded in the top seven in all three.
Besides Schimberg, the Wolves feature senior Gherman Prudnikau, who is the No. 1 seed in both the 200 and 500 yard freestyles, neither of which he swam at the league meet. Senior Evan Linnebur is seeded to potentially score in two events as well for the Wolves.
Smoky Hill’s contingent of nine is led by seniors Ian Noffsinger and Charlie Newton on the experienced end of the spectrum and by talented freshmen Marshall Adams and Cooper Walkup.
Noffsinger — an Old Dominion signee — won his fourth career Centennial “A” League championship in the 500 yard freestyle (setting the Cherry Creek pool record with his 4:42.23) and is the No. 2 seed in the event, while he is also No. 8 in the 200 freestyle and Newton is seeded to score in two events as well. Both freshman go in seeded high enough for one championship final apiece (Adams is the No. 6 seed in the 500 freestyle and Walkup is the No. 8 seed in the 200 yard individual medley. The four also combine on Smoky Hill’s highest-performing relay, the 12th-seeded 400 yard freestyle unit.
Cherokee Trail has seven qualifiers with significant point potential at the top in senior Bronson Smothers and junior Tyson Walker.
Both could be two-event championship finalists if they perform up to seed for coach Kevin Chatham’s Cougars, as Walker is seeded No. 2 in the 200 individual medley and No. 7 in the 100 breaststroke, while Smothers is No. 6 in the 100 butterfly and No. 7 in the 50 freestyle.
Overland has a lone individual state qualifier in senior diver Chad Hamilton, a multiple-time state placer, plus 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
